Why it works: Orange and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 20% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 19,212 recipes. Both carry beta-damascenone, which smells apple, rose. The science ↓
Orange Preserves
Ingredients
Directions
Grate the oranges slightly and score them with a knife, but do not cut deep.
Soak the oranges in cold water for three days, changing the water two to three times daily.
Tie the oranges in a cloth and boil them until a pin can easily penetrate the skin.
While boiling, combine the sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes, then strain through muslin.
Add the oranges to the syrup and cook until it jellies and turns yellow.
Test the syrup by cooling a small amount; it should not be too stiff.
Ensure the syrup does not cover the oranges completely, but turn them to ensure even cooking.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Orange + sugartop 20% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together19,212 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Orange and sugar barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 19,212 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
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